City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments #3)

I decided to review City of Glass, the third in The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare while it’s still fresh in my mind. Just finished reading it last night and tonight I’ll be starting City of Fallen Angels, book #4. Luckily I bought all 5 books in Kindle format, so I can finish the series without interruptions.

So let’s see…I have to start with the most important part for me – the SECRET of Jace and Clary’s relationship. Thank you thank you for confirming what I thought all along, and things between them are no longer yuckie!

Having gotten this out of the way, I have to say I probably like this book the best. The characters are already all too familiar, I got to know them quite well throughout the first 2 books, got attached to them and saw how they grew and developed over time – and I’m not only talking here about Clary and Jace, but also about Simon, Isabelle, Alec and even the warlock.

Clary is also growing up, but she’s still as reckless as ever, and as Luke at some point even says, she’s doing what she wants anyway, without thinking it through. However she does grow at her own slow pace.

Jace, well, that’s another story. The guy is really a grown up now, knowing what he wants (well, Clary, what else) and is fighting for what he wants till death….speaking of, yes death is part of his life and it’s interesting to see how he comes back and what happens next.

When I really think about the book, the ending is the strongest for me ever, it really left me with a strong impression. Things started happening in leaps and bounds, twists and turns were coming up every few minutes, and there was literally not a page where you wouldn’t have to bite your nails (or keep the edge of your chair for something to do with your hands). It really became a fast paced action story towards the end.

What I can tell you about the plot, without giving away major spoilers, is that everything is happening in Idris, the city of the Shadowhunters, where the main war between them and Valentine will be taking place. Not that there is that much of a fight in the first place, thanks to Clary and Jace who save the world once again.

All secondary characters are really well developed, which is something that I love in this series. Also we get to see here different aspects of their character, like an onion that gets peeled off and we see other layers that we had no idea about. In many books authors develop the main characters, letting the rest behind. Not so here. Cassandra Clare definitely didn’t forget about those with supporting roles. And speaking of roles, I really really enjoyed what was developing between Alec and the warlock and it was not yuckie at all 🙂

Btw I’m curious what you think of that episode when Jace and Clare spend the night (well at least part of it) in her bed simply holding hands, while giving each other their hearts all over again. I found it such a heart breaking moment, especially when I knew what I knew (before I knew the truth, if it makes sense – it will when you read the book), and such a romantic one at that, I think it was one of my favorite moments in this book.

While the action was all there, I also enjoyed the many emotional moments especially between Clary and Jace. Their love is just so pure, despite everything else, oh what fun to be a teenager again – even if just in mind while reading the book.

Probably my favorite quote from the book:

“And now I’m looking at you,” he said, “and you’re asking me if I still want you, as if I could stop loving you. As if I would want to give up the thing that makes me stronger than anything else ever has. I never dared give much of myself to anyone before – bits of myself to the Lightwoods, to Isabelle and Alec, but it took years to do it – but, Clary, since the first time I saw you, I have belonged to you completely. I still do. If you want me.”

Finally so many secrets get revealed here, like the secret of Valentine’s son, so many characters show their true face (most good, but some bad and treacherous), so many lose ends get tied up – it really looks like the end of the trilogy. Which is strange, because apparently the author did intend to create a trilogy made of 3 books, which she then expanded into 5. The ending of this novel does looks very much like the ending of the trilogy, so I’m really wondering what happened there – could it be that the series was too popular to just end it there? For what it’s worth, I’m glad there are 2 more books to catch up on.

To learn more or order a copy, visit Amazon

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